After finding an open table nestled deep in the back of the room, it was time to enjoy some live music. The guy sitting next to me quickly offered up a cigarette (everyone smokes in Spain, its true) and I graciously declined. The band seemed more like a little jam session between friends, really. I dont even know if they had a name and I think they were just a few of the music school students who were jamming together. It was a Wednesday night after all, and the place was far from jam-packed. But the music was actually very good. There was a drummer, a percussionist, and a sax player. The drummer was holding down the beat and also performing a flurry of rolls and grooves and provided the main vibe to the music. The percussionist was playing congas and bongos and whatever else he could find to bang on – sometimes even on some of the drummers cymbals. These guys were the backbeat of the jam, and they churned out great syncopated rhythms, both Latin and African in style. The sax player was there more to add a bit of color to the rhythms and he squeaked and squawked along, but never really took any extended solos. It was all about the drums and in a few minutes time some lovely ladies were up and dancing, much to the bands pleasure.
They went through a couple music segments, each time focusing around a Latin or African rhythm, and the leader even tried to work the crowd a bit on the mic. I couldnt understand everything he was saying, but the people laughed and cheered. At one point, as the jam was getting heated, he was urging people in front to get up and dance and many did. Taking in live improvisational music in a small club setting with a few dancers cavorting wildly made this far away jam fan feel a little more like home to me. When the hot and sweaty guys finally ended their last jam, the small audience cheered loudly until the players had no choice but to take the stage once more for an encore.
This time they invited a guest from the crowd up on to the stage with them. As the drums commenced, the newcomer held up his Moritz beer bottle and started tapping along, throwing a high pitched rhythm sound into he mix. Then, much to the amazement of the little crowd, he began to sing into the bottle. Everyone knows how to do the beer bottle flute sound, but he was a master. He sort of sang or chanted as he whistled into the bottle, all the while tapping the outside of the bottle with his drumstick. He kept the rhythm while literally jamming out by chanting/fluting into the bottle along with the rhythm. Honestly, what he was doing was the best lead melody playing of the night! It was amazing and Ive never seen anyone play a beer bottle quite like it before or since. When his solo ended, the room erupted into raucous cheering and applause.
After the set I chatted with one of the guys from the band, who happened to speak English very well. When I told him I was from the states he perked up and told me about how one of his other bands plans to tour the US soon. He asked about different cities, American music, and which clubs to play. I let him know I see smaller bands in bars a few times per week and have a few contacts across the country as far as venues and such. However, he was unfamiliar with the term jamband and did not even know who The Grateful Dead or Phish were. Relix Magazine? Nope. Jambands.com? Nope. But it didnt matter! I let him know his music was fun and there would be an audience for what he was doing in the states. We shook hands and I put my name on their list, just like I would after a good show by an unknown small band in the states. The walk back to the apartment was short and frenetic. As I curled up in my bed that night I felt just a little bit more at home in this strange land. Live improvisational music soothes the soul once again Spanish style!
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